I was never a fan of this place back in my undergraduate days and now that I work nearby I'm even less inclined to like this place. The service here is hit or miss but mostly miss. They don't post the prices of drinks at all and they're pastries taste like they come from Safeway - because they do come from Safeway. Most importantly they just hiked up their tea about 50% - from $2.35 to $3.50! Even after working in hipster Mission, no spot would charge that much there. I feel bad for the undergrads that end up going to this place. Just try to avoid if you can. read more

$6.75 for a vanilla latte and they can't even pull a fresh shot for it. Watched the man pour leftover espresso from a cup that had been sitting there for who knows how long, and it tasted old and soured. Didn't say anything because they already seemed like they did not want to talk to me. read more

Their caramel and vanilla lattes are always perfect. I love that the coffee is freshly made and is affordable, unlike some of the other stores around. Usually you can find seating inside to do some work too though their wifi connectivity is questionable. read more

Cafe Milano is amongst the best cafes to study. You're not a Berkeley student unless you've met up with someone here, studied here, or had a "coffee chat" here. Pros: outlets, lots of seating, upstairs seating, bathroom (not the best) Cons: drinks and food are decent and do the job TLDR: the reason you'd find me here is probably fro a space to study : read more

In the days when I was a college student: Yummy sandwiches, good ambiance, great place to meet TAs, coffee is good, and barista does latte art on the lattes. read more

Milano is great because of its location right across from campus, but the coffee is mediocre. They have a good variety of soups, salads, and sandwiches for a decent price considering the proximity to campus. Their service is okay, mostly a hit or miss. They have a minimum card fee of ~$2. This would be a great place to catch up with a friend, not best for studying because of the spotty wifi and noise during peak hours. If you're lucky, you might be able to get onto Airbears2. The seats and tables look and are kind of dirty, though I see the staff regularly cleaning. Don't use the bathroom unless it's an emergency. The best seats are upstairs, especially on sunny days. TLDR; okay coffee, good food read more

Cafe Milano - Cafes Near Me - Berkeley, California

Came here to grab a drink on my way to campus to study. The guy at the counter was extremely rude and unfriendly. I ordered a smoothie, but what I got was some premise slush thing mixed together with water. I honestly can't tell if the guy got my order wrong or this is really just their "smoothie". Don't think I'll be back; only giving 2 stars because the ambience was nice and I like to save my 1 star reviews for places I reallyyyyy hate. read more

Cafe Milano - Is this supposed to be a smoothie? - Cafes Near Me - Berkeley, California

The barista was nice but this place is pretty unsanitary. That said, if you're a college student who just needs a place to study other than a library and you don't mind sticky tables, this might suffice. read more

I haven't tried much from their menu, which is pretty large, so I can't speak much on the food. I've gotten a few of their baked goods (pretty good), their bagels (pretty good but they're frequently out of them, and I've randomly gotten an oddly tiny and shrunken bagel...), and their iced chai latte (fine but literally just a premade mix with a lot of oatmilk poured in. Overall-- the food has not been worth the price, in my opinion. My real issue with this place is the service, as several of the people who work there are quite unpleasant to interact with. Most importantly, it could be a really nice place to study, as it is quite pretty and very close to campus, but they 1) have little to no outlets to charge your devices, 2) are constantly filled with Berkeley business people doing "coffee chats" (which stress me out greatly to listen to lol), and 3) frequently close up wayyyy earlier than their listed hours (e.g. the owner has started kicking people out if it's not that busy around 8pm, when it says that they close at 10pm...). Overall, it's a pretty cafe in a great location, with food that is definitely perfectly fine for a quick snack, but it is not a go-to place for me to return to... read more

Definitely love this place, so many coffee, food, and Pastry options. I love coming here for a quick bite and a place to charge my laptop. They have many plugs on the bottom floor and a lot of seating. I definitely love the fresh OJ and Jalapeño bagel if I don't get the panini with pesto. 10/10 recommend. read more

This place has the essence of a well-established, home grown cafe rooted in an activist past. The walls are decorated with resistance photos -- images of protest, standoffs with police, a bare chested woman in the midst of what appears to be a demonstration, direct action, etc. You will commonly find copies of The Daily Californian strewn about. And you will also find folks sitting in small circles, openly discussing issues related to emotional and mental anxiety, Islamophobia and coalition building on campus. It also serves as a reprieve for folks who do not have housing. It's raw. It's real. It's unimposing. I enjoy Cafe Milano for its simplicity. Its re brick walls, weathered wood benches and marble top tables -- all posed askew across the ground floor -- lend the feeling of being warm and cosy and worn in. There's an ample amount of seating -- but, yes, it gets very busy here. It appears one of the busier cafes on the strip. There is an upstairs lounge that offers additional seating, and a bit of a reprieve from the busy and noisy downstairs. Coffee is OK and fairly consistent, and there is a sample of offerings: Greek and Italian salads, soups, sandwiches and a pretty decent breakfast sandwich on a bagel. During my time at Berkeley, this became my regular working spot. Though loud and busy, the WIFI is free and reliable, and it is directly across from campus. Only major problems: Busy and loud; bathroom is a tank and there are consistently tiny bugs about later in the day. Other than that, it's a fitting spot to get some good work done. read more

Cafe Milano - Let's get this started. - Cafes Near Me - Berkeley, California

The unassuming and easily overlooked exterior has housed many generations of students studying and will probably continue to do so for a long time. I might have missed this place entirely my freshman year had someone not explicitly told me that there was a cafe there and we were to meet inside. Dim lighting, slow internet, and slightly sticky tables considered, Milano has a pretty Berkeley-esque vibe (though not nearly as much as Cafe Mediterraneum) with the advantage of being right across from Sproul and bordering several chain restaurants. Seating is a bit cramped, especially during the afternoon and evening, even with their upper level seating. The only outlets are in the planters or laid out haphazardly on the floor on the upper floor. So if you're planning on eating in house, I'd suggest securing a seat first and setting your stuff down before getting your food and trying not to drop the heavy plates while maneuvering between the tables. And note that your Instagram pictures will need filters. Four stars mainly for the location, delicious sandwiches (how can you resist that foccacia?), and good conversations I've had here; the coffee does leave something to be desired and isn't nearly as strong as some other spots around Berkeley. Also, they accept card, unlike Strada. Their playlist usually consists of Latino music and instrumentals of popular soundtracks. Their bathroom got an upgrade within the last year, so the door lock actually looks like it works now and the facility smells a little less. At least for now. read more

Cafe Milano - Baristas keep it fresh with flower latte art! - Cafes Near Me - Berkeley, California

I got a small latte and it was burnt to the point where my friend next to me mentioned that the latte smelled slightly burnt without mentioning anything. read more

I was in Cafe Milano today to see my old friend, Martín and to get my 2nd coffee of the AM. I've known him, his sister, and his brothers for many years. With most of the students gone for the summer, the place was pretty empty. We caught up on the family, who is where, about kids, etc. A nice five minute visit and I'm off to campus. So as I walk in the office a colleague says to me that "Milano coffee is terrible and how can I drink it". I made a crack that it's "all the same, wherever you go." "No, The French Hotel (near Cheeseboard) has the best coffee ever." I gotta tell you. The coffee at Milano, French Hotel, both Espresso Roma Cafes, Cafe Sienna, Fillmore, and the I-House Caffe, all get their coffee from the same roaster, Roma, based in Emeryville. In fact, the company has fourteen stores in Cali. See for yourself: http://www.espressoroma.com/store_directory.php I checked each of these cafes' yelp reviews and they say the coffee is the best or the worst. Only the barista skills and the equipment might vary. I don't know. You can yelp about the service, you can yelp about the food, you can yelp about the customers (students, what have you...), but for you self-appointed coffee affectionados, the coffee comes from the same roaster. Or as it has been said, "It doesn't fall far from the tree." If you don't like Milano, try the French Hotel (Martin's brother works there), both Espresso Roma Cafes, Cafe Sienna, Fillmore, and the I-House Caffe. The coffee must be better. read more

Tons of space and outlets! :) I love coming here to study and eating their green salad & pastries! Atmosphere: Chatty cafe, but with noise-canceling earbuds, you're all set to study! I like the wood benches and chairs. :) Some areas have very poor lighting at night, making it hard to read. :/ Maybe they could install more lights upstairs. Service: The workers here are so sweet! Some like to joke around, some give more than one slice of bread in my salad, and most are very courteous and kind! :) Food: Best cheap healthy meal deal in town! Green salad is only $4.65 and its proportions are huge! I like to substitute the tomatoes for chickpeas since I'm not a fan of having big slices of tomatoes in my salad. The raspberry vinaigrette or poppyseed dressing are both very delicious! :) For dessert, I highly recommend the carrot cake. It is sooooooooo good. Bet it's a shit ton of calories but it is sooooooo good. XD The only con is that it's kind of pricey. $3.30 for a thick slice of cake whereas at Sheng Kee around the corner I could get sweet sweet yummy huge pastries for less than $2. Since I'm a lazy ass and for convenience sake, I bought my sweet here because I was super craving for something majorly sweet. :) Price: $4.65 for salad. $3.30 for slice of carrot cake. Tip: - Get the green salad! - Spacious place so grab a friend or two and get yo study on! - They only have one bathroom that is kind of icky. This one bathroom could or could not be an inconvenience to you. They should think about investing in more bathrooms. Conclusion: Will be here often stuDYING. yay me. read more

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Dropped a star because of the limited amount of outlets here, but overall, I really like Cafe Milano. Location is convenient since it's right across the street from Cal. Prices for food and drink are decent too -- I enjoy the iced coffee, mocha glacier, breakfast bagels, and pesto pasta here. When I attended school at UC Berkeley, I would come here after hiking up the Big C some mornings around 8am, and the ambience of the cafe would be just perfect. It doesn't get too loud either (unless it's peak hours like lunchtime), so I used to hold interviews and meetings here. read more

Cafe Milano - Cafes Near Me - Berkeley, California

I will never go back to this place again. I don't usually write reviews but I think people need to be made aware of the blatant rude behavior of the old racist man with the long grey beard at this place, I haven't seen him before at this place, when I've come there before but this time he was there. Today I entered the cafe and I saw a lot of people there, normally when a coffee shop is packed I will look for an open table put my notebook on a table to keep it and go order, from the counter. I saw some tables open and I went by the crowd at the counter and was going to put my stuff down and go back to order, I hear someone say "hey sir you can't be in here" I'm like "huh?" The guy behind the counter was talking to me and I was like "what? I don't understand what I did?" he said "you can't be in here with that food you have to go" I said "oh my bad I can put it in my backpack, I wasn't planning on eating it" he said "I don't care, you have to go!" I was taken aback by the fact that he just wouldn't let me put my leftovers in my backpack and let me stay in the cafe and I understand establishments wanting people to buy from them, that's why I told him "I am going to order something from you, I just wanted to put my things down first so that I can get a table but for sure I am going to order something" I haven't had any coffee that day and specifically needed some so that I could study. I always order from coffee shops when I'm going to study because I know I wouldn't sit there and not purchase from the establishment. He says "I don't care, I don't care you have to go!" gesturing for me to leave as he talks. I said "So i can't just put my food in my backpack? These are leftovers I just ate this and I'm going to order from you, what do you want me to do put them outside?" he said "I don't care I don't care you have to go!" I'm thinking this makes no sense like literally he isn't listening to what I'm saying and I'm really starting to think it is racism involved in his inability to listen to what I had to say and just assuming I was trying to not buy anything. I told him "ok then I won't be coming back here again and I've been here several times before and I always order something." he said "I don't care, I don't care you have to go!" again gesturing for me to leave. So I left because I don't want to ever give money to a business who would treat any customer that way. Im very reasonable and he could have handled it way differently. I was willing to not have my food out if he was worried that I would eat it in the cafe, I was already going to purchase drinks from him due to how long I had to stay there, I would have gotten at least two drinks in my stay and maybe a dessert. Now I won't be going back to this place. The only reason why I started to go here was due to Cafe Strada being packed most of the time. But I would rather try to wait for a table at Cafe Strada because they treat people with kindness and they don't trip off of outside food, because they know people will be purchasing their items too. I recommend Cafe Strada or any other place besides this cafe. From this one racist guy, I don't think they deserve any business and I feel like if i wasn't a POC that he would have treated me a lot differently and he would have let me put my food in my bag. All he had to do was say, "ok purchase your items from me and put your food up, if I see you eating that outside food, you will have to leave." I would have 100% agreed to that, but to kick me out and not even listen to what I was saying, is just plain rude. Yeah, everyone take your business elsewhere, especially since cafe staff will kick students out during an active shooter event. They obviously don't care about their customers and they obviously don't want any customers. I hope this business loses every customer especially POC people because one day it could be you and your friends with your leftovers, getting kicked out, and rudely addressed by this old racist man. If i could give this place negative stars i would. read more

Hot spot for UC Berkeley students to get studying done here since it is very close to campus! Modern, spacious cafe - upstairs offers more seating! Their Wi-Fi is somewhat slow and I got cut off a couple of times while using it. Great place to chat or just enjoy coffee. They have fair selections on sandwiches, bakery goods, salads and etc. They didn't decorate my latte on top! A bit disappointed because I see a few pictures from their business page that has nice decorations on top of their lattes. What a bummer! read more

Cafe Milano - Latte - Cafes Near Me - Berkeley, California

Like lattes (not meaning chai tea latte)? This is the place for you. Their latte is very flavorful and made quickly. My coworker and I were able to get in and out of there before 8 am in probably about 7-8 minutes. Their croissants are buttery and flaky; I would recommend getting one if you love croissants and want a little snack. I've also had their hot chocolate before which was also good. Their chai latte is different from Peet's and Yali's which are right by our office but some times it's nice to get something different. I'd been to Cafe Milano before when my friend was a student at UC Berkeley and it's a nice place to grab a seat and study or relax for a bit. read more

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Great atmosphere, terrible internet. I love their decor and plants. They have relatively large space which almost always lets you find a space to sit. read more

I came here with some friends to study. The cafe is very hipster like with wooden seatings and tables. Kind of old type of vibe. There weren't many outlets available in upstairs seating area which was where we sat to study. It was inconvenient to us. It's a college cafe and they can do a better job adding more outlets to accommodate students. The WiFi password info was written downstairs on paper, there are 2 WiFi network they used, use the ATT network because the other network doesn't work. They should of taken out the other wifi info. The drinks are overpriced. The price for a chai latte was $4.50 for a small cup, which was a total ripoff. The chai was literally made from powder and added milk and foam to it. I don't recommend the overprice chai latte there. My friends had ice coffee and it was more reasonably price. The vibe at the cafe was chill and studious. A lot of Berkeley students went there to study. Cafe was quiet most of the time. I don't think I'd go back to this cafe again, i was very disappointed by it. Could be that I'm not fit for older cafe layouts and a lot of things didn't accommodate me. read more

This place is really whatever, from being right across the street from Cal you would think they would step their game up. My croissant was okay, and coffee over priced. I probably wouldn't go here again, I rather go to a on campus coffee shop or Petes. read more

This place is a pretty good place to meet up for just having a talk with a friend, but not so much if you want to get work or studying done. The place is always stuffy, internet is slow, and the place is just too loud. In terms of food, it's pretty mediocre. The price for a sandwich and salad is about $7, but the sandwich itself is pretty empty. The salad consists of a few greens and some balsamic vinegar. The sandwich is toasted bread, tomato, cheese, and your choice of meat (of which there is not much). I wouldn't recommend going here for a meal, but the staff of the place are pretty nice if you ever get the chance to talk to them. read more

Cafe Milano - Cafes Near Me - Berkeley, California

Probably the best Chai Latte I've had in Berkeley. The taste was exactly right, not as bland as other places. It's also fun to try and figure out what exactly the foam art is as sometimes you can't really tell what they drew. Cons: limited places to plug your laptop and don't have good lighting (at night time) read more

Cafe Milano - Chai Latte - Cafes Near Me - Berkeley, California

3.75, not a full on 4. Pros: Cafe Milano is a really convenient cafe very close to campus, which is one of the reasons why I come here. Their coffee is also pretty decent (although not a fan of the chai latte. Was much too sweet). Sometimes they add like a little smile in your latte which is really cute. Their sandwiches are pretty bomb. I love their pastrami sandwich, which comes on a perfectly toasted Mexican roll. It's pretty big and comes with a side salad, so you get your money's worth. The staff is also really nice, and if you come often enough they remember your order which is cute :) They also have a decent amount of outlets, but only at certain places in the cafe so you have to look out for them. Cons: The wifi is pretty unreliable sometimes, so it's not always the best place to study. The interior is also not the cleanest looking, and sometimes there're flies and the tables are a little grimy. Their pastries also aren't the most consistent, like sometimes their muffins are delicious and sometimes they're super stale. Overall a nice place to hang out and do work, with some improvement needed here and there. read more

Cafe Milano - Pastrami sandwich! Contains cheese, roasted red onions, and pesto. - Cafes Near Me - Berkeley, California

coffees good, atmosphere is good, food is a ripoff. There is no chance they're charging $9 for this tiny bite sized burrito. read more

Cafe Milano - $9 bite sized egg and bacon burrito - Cafes Near Me - Berkeley, California

The customer service was awful. I waited forever just to get an attitude from the cashier.

Went for the first time to order a chocolate croissant before class, one of my favorite pastries. The cashier accidentally burnt my croissant which wasn't a big problem and she seemed very nice. She reached to make me another one but the guy in the back didn't let her. The croissant was simply inedible and was so burnt and the chocolate tasted so bad. It wouldn't hurt to just remake another one of your shitty croissants anyway. read more

I love the vibe in here, but the wifi sucks. Hard to do any work consistently cuz of it.

I'm quite shocked that this place doesn't have more rave reviews... This is by far the most pleasant place to get work done near the UC Berkeley campus. Incredible raw beam ceilings, large open windows filling place with light, even trees growing indoors. The employees here are both kind, friendly, and flexible. There is not a lot of love put into the drinks at other cafés in this area as there's far more demand for a nice place to work than supply... But I can truly say that Café Milano provides a wonderful atmosphere, respect, solid food and drinks, and familiar friendliness. read more

Cafe Milano - Cafes Near Me - Berkeley, California

I don't usually leave reviews, but this cafe was one of the worst experiences at my time at CAL. First of all, the seats are super uncomfortable and so worn out. They blast music all the time so it can get pretty loud in there. Last, my friend was bringing in a sandwich he made from home and the worker told us to leave as food is not allowed - which is fine but he was very aggressive with the way he said it and scared my friend. read more

Got the hot chicken sandwich on focaccia for around $9. Not the cheapest sandwich, nor was it the tastiest. It was alright, but the bread was pretty good. The service was really quick and efficient! I'm pretty impressed at how they manage to handle the college lunch crowd. I got my sandwich in less than 5 min! Also, I said "chicken pesto on foccacia" and didn't realize that they had a pasta by that name, so I told the cashier I meant the sandwich and he kindly changed my order. Friendly people despite being in a constant rush! read more

Cafe Milano - Hot chicken sandwich on focaccia bread for less than $9. - Cafes Near Me - Berkeley, California

This is one of my all-time favorite cafés with superb espresso drinks, friendly staff, and great ambience. Here's my complaint and I hope the management read this: the music is really annoying and always really LOUD. Is an ad-free subscription to Spotify really too expensive? read more

This little tucked away cafe was pretty good! They have pizza & pastries. The coffee can use some work but my overall experience was nice! read more

It's a solid spot for studying and having meeting, but beyond that, the food and drinks are average, sadly. Bagels, pastries, and salad did not impress me in the few times I went. read more

I rarely write low star reviews but my recent visit to this café was underwhelming and disappointing. I really did not expect the service here to be so rude and unfriendly with a café as beautiful as this. I asked for a barista to refill my water bottle and he asked "did you buy anything?" I replied "yeah," was a little off taken but then he persisted by saying "where is your receipt?" Who even keeps coffee receipts now a days! I discussed this with the manager, who under his breathe, said a curse word in Spanish! It was not addressed and he continued to talk to someone else so at that point I just went back to studying but little did they know that I took Spanish throughout high school and was fluent! The WiFi is spotty and the WiFi password is complicated; I had to even write down the password for two other people due to confusion. Most of the staff and workers here aren't able to answer any questions about the food, and the person who got my soup seemed upset I even asked. The food was not terrible but very lackluster for its price. I had their soup and had to remind the cashier that I had ordered it (waited 15 minutes). My soup was way too salty and the guy who served me spilled a good spoonful on the plate holding the bowl but did not even bother to clean it. The guy calling out the tickets kept screaming the order number and looked pissed off when people would pick up their food even just a little late. Way to seem friendly! Haha In terms of the environment, there is no air conditioning on the upper deck and it can get extremely hot and stuffy. There are barely any outlets also for computers and the WiFi is very slow when connected. Also, this is a bustling study spot so it can feel a little crowded, so come here early! I don't know if I just had a bad experience here but I will probably try other coffee spots in Berkeley before I return to Cafe Milano. I wanted to like this café so much the staff was incredibly unfriendly. If you visit this place, you'll realize that this is is definitely an awesome study spot! Everything else, not so much. My fellow students, there are cafés elsewhere that have friendlier staff and tastier coffee and food. Come here at your own discretion. :-) 1 Star for the Vibe/ Architecture (Yasss to marble tables) 1 Star for the Free WiFi/ Open Late -3 Stars for the EXTREMELY Rude Staff and Mediocre Food read more

A once great place that needs a few changes. First, turn down that dad rock. Take a look around and recognize that literally every guest is wearing headphones to block it out. If you want to jam, move those speakers into the kitchen. Second, why the gas station coffee? It's diluted and not good. Just get Pete's or whatever and charge $.10 more per cup. read more

Milano is UC Berkeley's go-to place (just like Caffe Strada) to get coffee and hang with friends between classes, to interview potential club members, or just do work on the weekends. Unfortunately, not much about Milano is too appealing. It's too dimly lit to do real work in the back of the place in the afternoon (but the tables/seats near the windows are great), it's always a struggle to find an outlet (they're only downstairs in one section), and the wifi is spotty. The black coffee is good enough. Like Strada, it gets the job done. I haven't had the food here and I'm not especially inclined to try it. I'd recommend Milano if you're meeting with friends or trying to do non-computer/Internet work. The coffee will keep you awake and focused. Otherwise, I suggest the MLK student union across the street or SoDoI coffee or 1951 or Strada (the first is amazing, the latter two are usually packed) a few blocks away. read more

Good place to hangout, especially if you are a in a rush to grab a sandwich or small snack before or after class! Not particularly a fan of their coffees though (my opinion) read more

Cafe Milano is a very cute and busy cafe nestled right across UC Berkeley. Due to its close proximity to campus, you will find yourself surrounded by a cultured group of individuals. They offer a variety of fresh* pastries and espresso beverages. They also serve a range of sandwiches and salads. For $10 you can get yourself a large bowl of fresh greens and chicken. The ingredients in the Greek Salad I had were very fresh, and I had enough leftover to enjoy for dinner. The chicken was grilled to perfection! I would only wish that there would be more outlets accessible to most seats. There are few located around the plants which divide this large eating space. The staff is also friendly and attentive. read more